1000 Years in the Cold-Bright Moon
by chibiotaku4life
Summary: We all know that Princess Celestia banished Nightmare Moon to the moon for a thousand years, and her sister with her. But what happened while they were up there? Short fic about the two ponies' imprisonment on the moon.
1. Prologue

Prologue

"I will rule in eternal night!" Luna heard Nightmare Moon say in her voice. She could feel the burning-cold triumph rising in the mare, as her deathly, airless aura swirled around her in a purple cloud.

She looked down on her sister with grief and remorse. She had just wanted to be appreciated and loved. She had never meant for it to go this far.

 _Shut up, pony_ , Nightmare Moon snapped, and she quailed in fear. She gasped desperately at the sweet, warm night air that the mare's momentary lapse had let in, knowing it could be her last. Nightmare Moon didn't need to breathe, and she was slowly starving the young pony possessed by and imprisoned within her.

"Sister, please," Celestia gasped, pushing against the aura around Luna with her own aura of light.

Nightmare laughed maniacally. "Your sister is _dead,_ fool. No one ever escapes from Nightmare Moon. She will be in my clutches forever!"

"No!" Celestia cried, and in that moment Nightmare slammed downwards into her and knocked her out of the sky.

Celestia fell through a window of stained glass and collapsed, lying prone on the hard stone ground of the old castle cathedral. Her side was rent with jagged, bleeding wounds from Nightmare's twisted, barbed horn.

"Luna," she whimpered. "Please. I will save you."

"No!" Luna burst out with despair, and the mare's lips just barely trembled. "I'm too far gone. Save our kingdom!"

"Shut it!" Nightmare hissed, out loud, and in that infinitesimal moment Luna screamed out with all her strength, "Sis, save our people."

Celestia looked up and Luna saw her own despair mirrored in her sister's eyes. Then the dim glow of a new resolve entered her eyes.

A glow emanated from Celestia's horn, and from the darkness behind her emerged six glowing gemstones in different colors. They swirled around her as she staggered to her feet.

"The elements of harmony?" Nightmare scoffed. "Those are just an old mare's tale." But hope rose within Luna as she felt the thin thread of panic working through Nightmare.

Celestia looked up with the rage of regret in her eyes. "So - were - _you_!" she shouted, and a blinding rainbow exploded towards the both of them.

"No!" Nightmare Moon cried with pure, freezing rage. Unable to release it, the feeling swirled within her and attacked the only thing it could find: Luna.

Luna felt herself detach, floating, even as they sped upwards towards the distant moon. Cradled in benevolent darkness, she fell away into the void as they slowed and landed on the dark side of a world of infinite cold.


	2. The First Days

The First Days

When Luna awoke, she couldn't sense anything. She couldn't see, or hear, of feel, or even smell anything. She tried to breathe in, and then she did feel one thing: pain. Pain, strong enough to break her apart, shattering her like a hoof through thin ice.

Then came the cold. Piercing, deeper than her bones, deeper than even her soul, to the very core of her being, so that she knew she could never be warm again.

And with sensation came control. She opened her eyes, stretched her limbs, and screamed.

"Ah, child, you are awake," echoed a dull, emotionless voice all around her, drowning out her scream.

Shivering, Luna darted her head around, terrified.

"Oh, relax," the voice said, sounding almost bored. "It's just me, Nightmare Moon. It seems exile has granted me my own form."

Over the pitted lunar horizon the dark pony appeared, her hair streaming around her though the atmosphere was absolutely motionless.

As Nightmare moved closer and saw Luna lying on the ground, her eyes narrowed with hatred.

"You," she hissed. "It's your fault I'm here." Luna saw her raise her horn to summon magic and cowered, trembling.

"Huh?" Confusion entered Nightmare's voice, and Luna risked a glance up. Her horn wasn't glowing. No magic was coming to her.

Luna almost cried with relief. She would run away, as she always had done. With a monumental effort, she staggered to her feet and stumbled into a shaky gallop.

"Come back here, child," Nightmare cried, with the sound of a star shattering. But Luna was already gone, disappeared into a deep, labyrinthine hole, where the darkness enshrouded her and protected her feeble life.

At last she collapsed, gasping for breath. She could hear Nightmare's voice echoing distantly, but knew that she was safe for now.

 _How am I even alive?_ she wondered despondently, her throat tightening. _I shouldn't be alive. Only evil things like Nightmare Moon can survive here. I guess I really am evil._

Tears sprang to her eyes. _Oh, Tia,_ she thought. _How could I do this to you. I hurt you. I made you banish your own sister. We'll be apart for a thousand years. Already I miss you. How can I go on without you, big sister? I need you._

 _Please don't miss me,_ she thought desperately. _Please don't regret anything. This is my fault. I deserve this, but you don't. Tia, please just be okay._

She was sobbing now, overcome with a loneliness that was both familiar and more powerful than she had ever before known.

"Lu-lu," came a sing-song voice, nearer than she expected. "Come out and play with me." Nightmare was in the tunnels. Tia couldn't protect her here, Luna realized. She'd have to fend for herself.

She closed her eyes and concentrated, taking unsteady breaths as she called on the magic deep inside of her. She was shocked to find that it responded, flowing outwards and concentrating in her horn, where a glow ignited.

"You little brat," Nightmare gasped, right behind her. Luna yelped but manage to maintain her concentration.

A ripple of light spread out as Luna released the Misguidance Spell. It was the most powerful one she could manage at the moment that would keep Nightmare away from her.

"Wha - ?" Nightmare said, and Luna turned and fled deeper into the tunnels.

As she finally slowed, Luna could sense, somehow, that one day had passed and the night had begun. She stumbled and fell, and found she did not have the strength to get up again. She lay there, through one day and night, then another, and another. Finally, utterly exhausted, she fell into a wary, uneasy sleep.

When she woke, the spell had worn off. She knew because Nightmare was leaning over her, grinning a sharp-toothed, evil grin.

She yelped, springing backwards. "So you can use magic, but I can't," Nightmare hissed, leering. "Just try and pull that on me again, pony."

Frightened, Luna slowly started to back away, as Nightmare Moon advanced upon her.

"Don't think you can get away," Nightmare spat. "I will make these thousand years a living _hell_ for you."

Luna drew upon her magic, and Nightmare's grin grew wider. Luna felt a sudden sharp pain in her horn, and gasped. Nightmare had lowered her head and was siphoning Luna's magic away from her. Luna desperately tried to cut off the flow of magic, but by the time she could, Nightmare's horn was glowing brilliantly.

"You forget, we are connected - you and I," Nightmare snarled. "But in this body, I can do - this!" and she shot a bolt of lightning from her horn directly at Luna.

Luna had no time to dodge. It hit her square in the chest, blasting her back into the cavern wall and spidering through her veins with burning fury. She screamed with pain and without thinking, hurtled the bolt back through her horn at Nightmare Moon. It hit her and she screamed, too; an unearthly, godforsaken sound. Luna tried to run but found she could not move. She stared, terrified, as Nightmare dragged herself up.

"So, child," she breathed sinisterly. 'It is to be a battle for your magic. It shouldn't be too hard to possess you again."

"No," Luna cried, staggering to her feet as she realized: this was something from which she could not run. She would have to fight.


	3. The Battle For Luna: Part 1

The Battle For Luna, Part 1

"Luna-let-me-in," said Nightmare in a rich, low, sing-songy voice. Luna heard it in both her head and her ears, and covered her ears with her hooves, trying desperately to shut out the voice.

"Look at what your sister _did_ to you," she said. "Exiled you to the moon for a thousand years!" Nightmare was stepping around Luna now, her voice sickly-sweet. "I can _help_ you get back. Aren't you _angry_? Don't you _hate_ her?"

"No," Luna whimpered. "No, stop, please!"

"All this pain you feel, it's her fault. I can help you get _back_ at her. She thinks she's _better_ than you. We can _show_ her that's not true. We can make her _feel_ what you feel."

"N-no," Luna stammered, her voice growing stronger, defiant. "No, I'm not falling for that again. You tricked me, and used me! I love my sister, even if she wasn't always there for me. She did what she had to. Nopony's perfect."

"Fine," Nightmare snarled, baring her sharp teeth. "We'll do this the hard way."

Moving quickly, she darted forward and gouged Luna in her flank with her horn. Luna gasped with pain and jumped into a defensive stance, but Nightmare had faded into the shadows. Cautiously, Luna prepared to cast a simple lighting spell, and quickly released it. The whole cavern glowed with a sourceless light, and Luna saw Nightmare charging her. She dodged to the side and, twisting around, kicked Nightmare hard in the ribs.

Nightmare didn't even react, just turned and gouged Luna again with her horn. She laughed, deep and evilly. "Oh, child, you cannot _touch_ me. I am more powerful than a little pony like yourself could ever imagine!"

 _Fine,_ Luna thought. _It'll have to be magic. If I can raise the moon, I can certainly beat her._

She drew upon her magic carefully, dancing out of Nightmare's way as she slowly healed her wounds. She could feel Nightmare tugging at her magic, almost playfully, as if she didn't care that much if Luna healed herself.

 _Why aren't you stealing my magic?_ Luna wondered.

 _Because, my dear,_ Nightmare replied in her mind, making her trip and yelp. _I can hurt you_ more. _The more you have, the more you have to lose._

"Get out of my head!" Luna screamed with rage. Summoning a huge burst of magic, she hurled it at Nightmare. In the air, it coalesced into a spear of ice. Laughing maniacally, Nightmare swung her horn at it and it shattered in a burst of darkness that rippled outward and passed through Luna. Then the darkness drew back in and swelled around Nightmare's horn.

Light swelled from Luna's horn as she tried to match Nightmare's growing darkness. Try as she might, she could not help a small trickle of magic from being siphoned from her.

The light and darkness grew, and Luna clenched her whole body, blinking back tears from squinted eyes as she struggled to control the magic. Finally, she could hold it no longer, and released it, just as Nightmare did the same. Luna watched as, as if in slow motion, their magic collided and exploded out like a supernova, hitting them both and hurling them to the edges of a large new crater on the dark side of the moon.

Luna blinked and gasped, then moaned. Flexing her wings, she used them to haul herself to her feet, then flapped laboriously, lifting herself into the air.

Retreating, she found herself on the edge of the glowing side of the moon. Not glowing, though, she remembered. Reflecting the light of the sun. Her sister gave her light.

"Celestia, lend me strength," the little pony cried to the watchful stars.

Nightmare Moon flew over the horizon, eyes mere slits. Summoning the last of her strength, Luna summoned the one power that Nightmare could not touch: the power of the sun.

She gasped at it burned through her, eating away at the deep, deep cold, but also at her very being. This element was a deep part of her but also the opposite of her, and she could barely handle it. Concentrating the sun's light into a single bright ray, she directed it right at Nightmare.

Nightmare wailed in agony and fell, skidding in the dust to come to a stop yards away from Luna. Staggering to her feet, she made a clumsy pass with her horn, but Luna wearily fended it off.

Luna's front legs gave out and she sank, gasping for breath. Nightmare too collapsed in front of her, and looked up at her with exhausted fury.

"We can't both be here for a thousand years," Luna managed.

The anger in Nightmare's eyes blazed as she realized what Luna meant.

"No-" she croaked.

Closing her eyes, Luna summoned the last of her magic.

"Nightmare Moon, I banish you to the dark side of the moon," Luna said, knowing she did not have enough power to hold her there for more than a hundred years. But that would be a hundred years of peace.

"Go," Luna said, releasing the spell, and Nightmare rippled and vanished. Luna flopped over onto her side, lungs heaving. She never could get enough air. Somehow she could breathe, but never enough, never enough. Oh, the pain. Tears leaked from her eyes, sliding over her nose and down onto the sharp, crystalline lunar surface. But for now she was safe. For now she was free.


	4. Cold and Lonely, Dark and Dim

Cold and Lonely, Dark and Dim

Soon Luna found that, though she was freezing inside, the sun would burn her from the force of its glare, so she hid in the shadows of craters. She dared not go over to the dark side of the moon, and risk running into Nightmare Moon. Sometimes Luna could see her on the horizon, glaring malevolently at her, then fading back into shadow.

And so the days passed. Slowly, inexorably, the wheels of time turned. Luna tried to amuse herself sometimes by scratching games into the moondust with her hooves. More often, she laid her head on her hooves and sighed. She missed her sister, and the ponies of Equestria.

Loneliness crept over her, slowly but surely. She'd never before been this alone. Even when she thought nobody had liked her, there had always been somepony around, trying to comfort her or at the very least, serve her. Her sister had often been busy with her duties, but she had been there occasionally too, trying to coax her sister to come out of her rooms and make friends.

Now she was completely alone, though. She pretended to talk to her sister, the palace servants, anyone she could think of. Silence was the only reply.

Pain grew in her heart, threatening to shatter it all over again. All she could do was think, think about what she had done, how she had hurt her sister. What did Celestia think? Did she ever think of her little sister on the moon?

Sometimes when she was particularly lonely, she hoped she was in her sister's thoughts at least once in a while. She could not the stand the thought of having been forgotten, of being completely and totally alone in the universe.

On better days, though, she realized she didn't want to be remembered. Poor Celestia would probably blame herself for their situation. She would miss Luna terribly. Luna didn't want Celestia to be lonely too. It was better if she just faded from memory.

 _And why shouldn't Celestia blame herself?_ the echo of Nightmare Moon's voice reverberated in Luna's mind. _She should have done more. She should have been there for you. She should have found a way to lock only me away, not you._

Nightmare Moon's insidious whispers found their way into her dreams, more often than not turning them into dark and twisting nightmares. That was, after all, Nightmare's specialty.

 _Flickering flames surrounded a massive, broken ruin. Luna walked through it, the flames shining in her tears, though she knew not why she cried. Around her, ponies bowed as she walked past, their eyes blank._

 _In the center of the ruin lay Celestia, her eyes closed, panting shallowly._

" _Tia!" Luna cried, running to her._

 _At her sister's shout, Celestia opened her eyes._

" _Oh, Luna, I'm so sorry," Celestia said. "You are the most powerful and beautiful pony there is. The night is more important than the day."_

 _She smiled weakly. "Now you can have your night. I won't interfere. Everyone will love you, sis."_

 _She closed her eyes and became still._

" _No," Luna gasped. "No! Wake up, sis, wake up!"_

" _Help!" she cried. "Someone, please."_

Isn't this what you wanted? _Nightmare Moon's voice asked._ She was never there for you anyway. It's not any different.

" _No," Luna answered in despair._

Fine, _Nightmare snapped. The dream changed._

" _Everyone will love you, sis," Celestia said. She clambered to her feet, and bowed to Luna. "I am your faithful servant."_

Luna woke up, crying and feeling deeply disturbed. She didn't want Celestia to serve her, did she? If only she could talk to her sister. She was so confused!

She began to feel so cold, so tight, so bare with loneliness, that she'd find herself wandering towards the dark side of the moon.

"Welcome," Nightmare said smoothly. "Nice to see you again. I do so enjoy our little conversations."

Luna shuddered, but stayed. She was desperate for company.

"So, are you going to 'un-banish' me?" Nightmare asked, making air quotes with her front hooves. Luna sighed. Nightmare invariably tried to find a way to convince Luna to free her. She wheedled, and pleaded, and tried to trick her, and made promises Luna knew she would never keep.

"No, Nightmare," Luna said wearily.

"Maybe I just won't talk to you today, then," Nightmare said, turning abruptly around and swishing her tail so it just - almost - touched the end of Luna's nose.

"No, wait," Luna said unhappily.

Nightmare turned back with a twisted glint in her eye.

"So we'll talk about releasing me?" she asked.

"No!" Luna burst out in frustration.

"Fine," Nightmare said, lowering her head and looking up at her with eyes that were squinted in an evil grin, though she wasn't smiling. "Goodbye."

Luna felt as if she'd been punched in the chest as Nightmare walked away. She couldn't breathe. Finally, as Nightmare disappeared, she fell to the ground and sobbed.


	5. Sunrise and Earth-Rise

Sunrise and Earth-Rise

The one solace Luna found in her enforced solitude was that of the beauty of the earth's rising and the sun's rising upon the earth. She would watch the small, colorful world slowly peek above the horizon, then observe as her sister's sun shifted brilliantly over the otherwise dark globe. Sometimes the sun would sit on the curved edge of the planet and set the rim of the world on fire. Luna loved that.

But this solace was not without its barbed edges. Just as the light stung her eyes so too did memories swimming in the silence sting her heart. As the moon spun in the sky Luna would have to move to stay in the light every so often, but when she was still she became lost in her head.

It was the day of Princess Luna's coronation. She was finally old enough to bear the weight and responsibilities of the crown. As the sun set, the crown was placed on her head, and she raised the silver moon into the deepening purple sky.

The ponies cheered, and she swelled with pride. She had done it. But as the cheering faded to a dull murmur of conversation, she watched as the ponies all turned away from her and to her sister. She trotted over, dismayed.

"What a beautiful sunset, Princess Celestia," one earth pony fawned.

"Simply spectacular," a refined-looking unicorn gentleman complimented.

"Thank you," Celestia said gracefully, nodding to her well-wishers. Then, as she spotted her sister: "And a glorious moonrise as well, was it not?"

The gathered ponies murmured their agreement, until a little pegasus filly spoke up.

"Princess Celestia is the bestest most beautiful princess ever!"

The ponies smiled and laughed. Luna gritted her teeth. This was _her_ coronation day, and they were all preoccupied with her sister.

 _Of course they are,_ Nightmare Moon said, drawing Luna out of her reverie. _Without me, darling, you are_ nothing _next to her._

Luna hiccup-sobbed, drawing her hooves into herself where she lay in a small tunnel.

That night, she had stood watch over the dreams of the ponies. That night and many others, she watched as even in their sleep they rejoiced in the day, and only in their nightmares were they ever to be found under cover of night.

She appeared to one of these ponies in her nightmare. She banished the dragon that was attacking the village, and the pony looked around with fear in her eyes, shaking.

Luna drew the storm clouds away from the brilliant moon, and the land was bathed in silver. The pony bowed quickly and perfunctorily, yet her eyes still darted around in terror.

Luna continued to shape the dream. Faerie lights started to flicker in the depths of the forest, and beautiful flute music echoed near the still lake. And still the pony shook.

"Sunshine Meadows," the princess finally spoke, "The night is calm and peaceful. You may rest easy now."

"W-with all d-due respect, Your Majesty," Sunshine Meadows replied, bowing again. "I'm still scared. The dark is full of frightening things. Can you make the sun rise?"

Luna snorted angrily, and something flashed across her eyes.

"Very well," she snapped, as the pony cowered away from her. It broke her heart to see her beloved night so feared and hated. And even more that it seemed that they viewed her the same way. At least this pony in particular did, and it was not the first time she had been on the receiving end of quick retreats and whispers, and stares that darted guiltily away when she met their eyes. She was no different from them!

 _Ah but you are,_ Nightmare Moon sneered. _You're_ fundamentally _different from them. You can_ never _make friends. But_ I'll _be your friend._

 _Leave me alone!_ Luna screamed, flattening her ears with her hooves and crying desperately.

 _Oh, but you are alone,_ Nightmare Moon said triumphantly, and left her to weep.

Over time, Luna found that she was starting to sense a familiar tendril of power at regular intervals. As she would watch night fall on Equestria, there was a strange feeling in the bottom of the stomach, both a tugging and a buoyant lightness.

"Celestia," she gasped after some confusion and wondering. She found herself awaiting the moment when she could just barely feel the sweet brush of her sister's magic inside of her, so dear.

And still the memories assaulted her. How ponies distrusted and feared her, how she could never get close with anypony. Her sister was always busy with _royal duties,_ of course. Oh, how she had resented her.

She came to Celestia one morning after a particularly dazzling sunrise. Her sister was poring over papers at her desk.

"Um, sis?" she said quietly.

"Mm," her sister said, obviously distracted.

"Well, um, I was wondering, maybe we could have a game of hoofball today?" she said hopefully.

"Luna," Celestia sighed, rubbing her forehead. "I'm very busy. I don't have time to play your childish games."

"But-" Luna choked out, offended.

"Not now," Celestia said, raising her voice. With a flick of her horn she slammed the door in Luna's face, leaving her with mouth agape and a sundered heart.

Luna took the only course of action left to her: she went into Celestia's dream. In her dream, she was working through some ponies' problems.

"Sister!" Luna called cheerfully.

Celestia looked up and gave a grimace that might have been a smile, then frowned.

"Not right now, Luna. I have to figure these out."

"But when, then?" Luna whimpered.

"Some other time, okay. I love you."

The last bit trailed off in the distance as Luna ran, into the deepest, darkest corners of her own dream. There she fell to the ground and cried.

 _She always thought she was too good for you, and always will._

 _Quiet, Nightmare Moon,_ Luna said, but she was weary.


	6. 100 Years: NightMare's Reign

100 Years: NightMare's Reign

Luna started to lose track of time as it droned on, day after lonely day. She was miserable, and lonely, and found some relief in dreamless sleep. So she was sleeping when the banishment spell ended, and woke up to blinding pain as Nightmare Moon stabbed her in the chest.

"No," Luna whimpered, calling on her magic.

"Yes," Nightmare Moon snarled triumphantly. She locked horns with Luna, drawing her power off forcefully. Luna found she couldn't shut it off, and struggled harder, but she was weak and dizzy with pain.

Nightmare cackled as a green-black aura started to form in a sphere around them. Luna found herself drawn irresistibly towards the mare, and with all of her might tore away and ran.

In a flash, Nightmare was in front of her. Luna backpedaled and turned the other way, but nightmare was there too. A strange darkness descended, and Nightmare was everywhere, her maniacal laugh echoing from all directions.

Then it was silent. Luna tried to buck or kick of fly, but found she couldn't feel her legs or wings. Or anything, for that matter.

Just as she realized that this airless darkness was somehow familiar, Nightmare's voice snaked towards her like a thread of lightning.

"At last," it echoed around her, full of acid and glee. "Now you are _mine._

 _No!_ Luna cried, but she couldn't make a sound. She gasped desperately for breath. Was Nightmare going to kill her?

"Oh, I'm not going to kill you darling," she said, her voice dripping saccharine, then darkening, as if suddenly poisoned. "I'm just going to make you _wish_ you were dead."

Luna struggled, but to no avail. Then she suddenly regained some feeling in her limbs, and landed in a heap in the castle. The castle? How…?

She panicked, as she realized her limbs were moving on their own, clambering to her feet.

She stalked through the castle, sure she was looking for something, but not sure what. She rounded a corner, and ran smack into somepony tall.

"Celestia," she said joyfully, but her mouth did not move.

"Luna," her sister cried, and moved to embrace her. But as she did so, Luna's horn moved downward, so that her sister impaled herself on it as she came forward.

Her sister gasped, her eyes alternately lit and darkened by pain and betrayal, surprise and sorrow.

"Luna, why…?" she gasped.

Luna cackled, and released a burst of magic into Celestia's chest, then withdrew her bloody horn.

Celestia arched her back downwards in pain, then slumped to the ground.

"No," she breathed. "Luna."

She coughed weakly, blood dribbling from the side of her mouth. Her eyes were darkening, like the sunset fading from the sky.

"I … love …"

Night entered her eyes, but in this night there were no stars.

"No!" Luna cried, regaining control of herself and flinging herself over her sister's body.

"Wh-hy-hy?" she sobbed. She looked up, and saw in her shadow the shape of Nightmare Moon.

"This is who you are," her shadow spoke, smiling cruelly. "Even before you met me, we were _one_."

Luna let out a scream of anguish, so raw and powerful that everything wavered and dissolved. Nightmare Moon's laughter grew around her until she could no longer make a sound, instead gasping for breath that she could not find.

This was the NightMare's specialty. She fed on the pain of others, drawing on their fears and guilt and insecurities to create nightmares which drove them to insanity. But she hadn't always been this way.

"What?" she heard a distant voice. "No…" it trailed off.

Dreamer Moon galloped across the early morning meadow, delighting in the dew sparkling before its cool wetness hit her hooves, marveling at the gorgeous sunrise.

"There you are," a deep voice called. She turned to see a pony with a coat as white as the noonday sun, with mane and tail golden as the afternoon.

"Tirion," she cried. The shield on his flank gleamed silver as the sunrise struck it, and she ran up to him, nuzzling his neck.

He drew back, his face unusually grave.

"Dreamer Moon," he said, and she grew worried. He never addressed her by her full name.

"What, Tir?" she asked hesitantly, softly.

"I - well," he struggled, and then spoke quickly. "I'm breaking up with you."

"What? No!" Dreamer staggered back. "We said forever. Who is going to protect me without you. You're my only friend!"

Tirion shifted uncomfortably, then straightened. "That I am still. And I will help you make other friends. But-" he swallowed, "I don't love you anymore."

The words struck her like a firebolt to the heart. Tears blurred her vision, and she lowered her head. "Very well."

Tirion stood uncertainly, then turned and galloped away. Dreamer watched him, anger keeping her standing defiantly. As soon as he was out of sight, however, she sank to the ground and cried.

In the days that followed, it was not long before a strange darkness approached her. It wasn't hard to find her alone; she preferred the silence of solitude as a balm to her broken heart.

"Dreamer," it whispered, a sibilant, echoing mix of childish voices. "Let us in. We can help you (we can help can help can help). We'll make you into a mare that Tirion cannot refuse (refuse). Or if you prefer, we can hurt him the way he hurt you (hurt you hurt you)."

Dreamer resisted, but eventually, weary, worn down, and in pain, she acquiesced and let the darkness in. There was a feeling of triumph, and pain as she transformed. Her coat grew darker, her mane and tail shimmered, and wings erupted from her back like an explosion tearing her apart. She was an alicorn. Dark triumph washed over her as the corruption became complete. She was born anew. She was… _Nightmare Moon._

 _NO!_ Nightmare cried, so loud that it tore all thought and reason from Luna's mind. _You will pay for that!_ And Luna sank into terrible nightmares.


	7. MySisterandMyMoonTheBattleforLuna,Part2

My Sister and My Moon; The Battle for Luna, Part 2

Eventually even Nightmare had to rest. Most of those times Luna retreated far into her mind and let her thoughts scatter. She couldn't truly sleep, wherever it was that she was kept, but she could enter a sort of daze until the nightmares started anew.

It was during one of those times that Luna was startled by a new kind of vision, one that felt very different from Nightmare Moon's. Even with her weakened senses, she could tell it occurred as Celestia was lowering the sun and raising the moon.

Luna flew easily over the castle on a cool night breeze. Her sister stood on a high balcony, watching the moon. She raised her head high, but her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

Luna's heart swelled with love for her, and ached at the same time. She flew down to meet her.

"Luna?" she gasped. "Is that really you?"

"Yes, sister," Luna said, embracing her.

"Then is this a dream?" she said, finally pulling away.

"A rare vision, I think," she said, "granted to us as you make use of my kind of magic to raise my moon, wherein I lie."

Celestia nodded gravely, then tenderness entered her eyes.

"Are you alright, my sister?" she asked, then added, "I miss you."

"I miss you too," Luna said truthfully, then lied, "And I am as well as circumstances permit."

Celestia hung her head, and she quickly backpedaled.

"It's not your fault," Luna said. "And really, it is not that bad. The moon is beautiful, after all, and I get to watch the most glorious sunrises."

A smile wavered across Celestia's face, under watery eyes.

"I can feel you when you raise the moon," Luna said.

Then Luna looked out toward the horizon as a shiver ran down her spine. A darkness darker than the blackest night there loomed.

"I must go," she said, panicking. "Nightmare Moon awakes."

"Will you be alright?" Celestia asked desperately.

"Yes," Luna replied. "But I must go!"

With a wrenching sensation in her head and heart, she pulled herself out, just as Celestia's magic faded away.

Nightmare yawned lazily, and there was a sensation of catlike stretching.

"Good," she purred. "You're awake."

Indeed Luna was. Seeing Celestia had awoken new determination within her. She must fight Nightmare Moon, and she must escape. Luna resolved to gather magic when Nightmare was asleep or when it would make sense to in her nightmares, but kept that thought hidden at the back of my mind where Nightmare would never find it.

This time the nightmare she subjected Luna to was different. It wasn't one of Nightmare's constructions, pulled from Luna's fears, but a memory. Worst of all, she left it unaltered - because it was bad enough on its own.

Bitterness. That was the main feeling in this remembrance. Luna was bitter, and lonely.

She had given up trying to make friends at this point. Alone in my room, black shades were drawn to block out the afternoon sunlight, though they let a distorted grey light in still.

"Luna," Celestia said uncertainly, poking her head through the door.

Her excitement was quickly burned up by frustration and spite.

"Why are you here?" she screamed, not able to keep her tears from falling.

Her sister's face fell, then grew angry. "I wanted to spend time with you," she retorted.

"Why now?" Luna yelled. "You were perfectly happy to let me be lonely, but now that _you_ want company, you come to me? How dare you!"

"No! That's not it," her sister screamed back in frustration.

"Fine!" Luna shouted, striking the floor so hard with my hooves that a spiderwebs of cracks appeared in a small crater. "Go!"

As she slammed the door in her sister's face with her magic, she saw a tear leak down her sister's face. Luna didn't care. She had abandoned me. She didn't love me, and Luna didn't love her. She wasn't her sister. Luna had no one.

 _Yes,_ Nightmare Moon said, as in the memory she screamed with self-pity and pain. _You are always alone. She is no sister of yours._

Luna tried to retort, but there was a sensation like she had grabbed her face and forced it to look straight ahead at the memory.

Luna paced the room, growing angrier and angrier. She'd show her. She had to punish her for what she'd done to me, what they'd all done to me.

 _No!_ Luna shouted, shattering the vision. Abandoning her earlier plan, she gathered as much magic as she could, bolstered by my anger at Nightmare.

She fired it at her, and for a second glimpsed night sky, before she heard cackling and the spell rebounded to burn all around her, illuminating a hellscape of desolation and fire.

"You cannot win, little pony," Nightmare said. _Against me, you will_ never _win._

Luna released bolt after bolt of magic, trying everything, but each whipped about and struck her. She yelled her throat raw as they burned, froze, and lacerated her, each causing a unique pain which compounded on each other.

Finally, in desperation, she tried a simple teleportation spell. As the magic grew in her horn, its glow seeped down her body, as it should have. But something was different.

The spell turned into chains which bit into her wounds, pulling at her until she threatened to tear apart and binding her.

"We won't be trying that again, now will we?" Nightmare Moon sneered, but her voice sounded slightly breathless. Hope was snatched from her, though, as the bonds tightened and Luna lost all thought and reason to pain.

"I think I'll leave you there for now," Nightmare said. "Hopefully it will teach you a lesson."

Luna was left alone with her pain, but unlike before - as she had seen in Luna's memory - this time it made her stronger.


	8. 900 Years The Battle for Luna, Part 3

900 Years; The Battle for Luna, Part 3

So Luna bided her time. While Nightmare slept, she slowly, carefully siphoned magic. Rarely she was able to sense her sister, and took her magic too. The first time, there was a faint feeling of surprise, but that quickly changed to an even harder to discern understanding and acceptance. With both of their magic, Luna grew stronger bit by bit.

But as she no longer devoted Nightmare's sleep to her own rest, she grew exhausted and more susceptible to Nightmare's powers. Nightmare liked to play with her memories, using them against her and leaving the worst untouched.

This time she played one of her personal favorites over again. It was when she had finally convinced Luna to let her in.

For weeks now, the shadows had been whispering to her, promising to her power and respect should she let them help her.

Luna had ignored them with dignity, not trusting the satiny darkness that appeared when she was alone and faded around others. But her rage and despair grew within her, until the darkness inside her could have blotted out the moon and all the stars in the sky.

"Fine!" she screamed, tears streaming down her face as she stood alone at the top of the tallest tower of the castle. "Help me!"

The shadows swirled together, taking on the undulating form of a tall, dark alicorn.

"My dear," the form said sweetly, "Do not worry. I can grant you everything you want and more. Pride, power, respect - your subjects _will_ love you." Luna shivered .Green mist bled from the form's eyes. "All I ask is that you give me access to your body, as I can do nothing in this form."

Luna bowed her head, as if in defeat. "Alright," she said. "Do what you must."

The shadows surged towards her, and she threw her head back, mouth open in a soundless scream as they hit her chest. The pain spread throughout her, burning against the light left within, trying to extinguish it. It was agony as her limbs stretched, her body changed, even her horn grew, until she had become the shadowy figure of the mare.

"Perfect," the shadow hissed. "Foolish little filly. I am Nightmare Moon, and _you_ are _mine_."

Then Nightmare Moon would replay over and over the destruction she had caused, the pain she had wrought, the betrayal of her sister as she tried to kill Celestia. She was forced to watch again and again, and it was almost as sickening to feel Nightmare's glee in reaction to the very same images that tormented her. Sometimes, Nightmare would even transfer the emotions of her loved ones at the time of the attack to her, and that was the worst. She had to get free, and soon.

She became less careful in her gathering of magic, but that price lent swiftness to her endeavors. Finally, as Nightmare slept, Luna gathered the mass of stored magic within her and channeled it through her horn.

As she cast the bolts out from herself, she simultaneously readied a teleportation spell.

Nightmare groggily woke up "Wuh-"

 _Now!_ Luna thought, as the bolts struck, revealing night sky.

Nightmare realized what was going on and tried to twist Luna's magic against her, but Luna had complete control. She cast the teleportation spell, and the world shattered.

She opened her eyes to find herself sprawled on the surface of the moon. Her head pounded awfully. Apparently teleporting on the moon had consequences.

"You little -" she heard Nightmare both growl and shout, as she galloped towards her from over the horizon.

Luna tried to cast the banishment spell, but her magic sputtered and petered out.

"Ah-ha-ha-ha," Nightmare laughed, high and cold. "Not again, filly! That same old trick won't work twice on me.

Luna barely dodged as Nightmare swung her horn at her neck, getting away with a slight scratch that burned much stronger than it should have for its depth. Luna swung her head, desperately trying to see what was wrong, and gasped as she saw the ugly, diseased-looking magic that festered on her neck. Nightmare must have stolen her magic from the banishment spell as it dissipated.

Struggling for her magic, Luna cast a healing spell, jumping back as Nightmare wheeled about again and again. The healing spell was slow to take and seemed to open the wound anew as it sealed it up. It banished the infection, but a white scar was left in the hairless patch where the scratch had been.

Luna turned to deal with her opponent. Dodging the attacks of her horn, they had a fencing match of sorts, though every time their horns met, pain shot through Luna's down to the base of her skull.

She kicked at Nightmare's flank, and sent her skidding through the dust. As she got up and turned, she saw Nightmare's other side scratched and raw from the lunar surface. Distracted, she was kicked in the head, and fell to the ground. Her ears rang and her eyes were spotty. Nightmare walked up slowly, breathing heavily, and readied herself to deal a final blow.

Summoning all the magic left in reserve from that she had collected, Luna devoted her energy to one final spell, one that would hide her until the time came that they would both escape. She released it, and slumped to the ground, consciousness swiftly fading.

Before she passed out, she saw Nightmare look around in confusion and frustration, then scream. She smiled, and everything went black.


	9. Escape-TheBattleforLuna,PartFour:Finale

Escape - The Battle for Luna, Part Four: Finale

Luna sensed the spell weakening as the last years passed. Now Luna nearly glowed with anticipation; she would see Tia again, see Equestria again, make up for all those lost years.

But she also felt dread. What would they do about Nightmare Moon? She would slip away and infect some other unfortunate pony, or take revenge upon her. She shuddered - she didn't know if there was any way she could prevent that.

Her spell of hiding also weakened as the barrier did. As the earth drew closer, so too did Nightmare Moon.

She knew the barrier had almost completely broken when Nightmare found her.

"There you are," she snarled viciously, baring her fangs. She looked at Luna, but her eyes were not quite right - they moved slightly, as if unsure of where exactly Luna stood.

Luna yelped and ran. She just had to last one more day, she could feel it.

But suddenly Nightmare appeared in front of her.

"Oh yes, child," she sneered. "I may not be able to pinpoint you, but I can draw on _my_ magic now.

Luna stilled as ice ran down her spine. How could she fight Nightmare if she had magic too? At least Nightmare wasn't in her mind. They were both disadvantaged.

Luna dodged a clumsy, uncertain kick, and used her momentum to buck Nightmare in the ribs, flipping her onto her back. She then ran to a different angle, getting the sun behind her.

Nightmare turned and squinted.

"I'm so much more powerful now," Nightmare said, stalking towards Luna. "I may even be able to retain this form on Earth. I think I shall take your sister next, to punish you."

At this, Luna yelled and charged Nightmare, sweeping under her horn and stabbing her in the chest. This was a mistake.

"There you are," Nightmare said in a sickly-sweet voice. _My gratitude for breaking the spell. I might not otherwise have been able to battle you_ properly."

Luna shivered and wrenched her horn away, dancing back as Nightmare healed herself.

"It seems it will take both of us to shatter the barrier," Nightmare said, her mouth drawn into the approximation of a pout. She tilted her head. "Luna, be a dear, would you?"

"No!" Luna shouted. "I'll stay here with you if it means protecting Equestria from your nightmares."

"Ah," Nightmare said. "Even if it kills you? I'll still live, for I do not need air, but when the spell is broken you will die."

"Even then," Luna said bravely, heart aching.

"Very well," Nightmare said, pursing her lips. "Then we'll do this the hard way."

She lowered her head and charged Luna, who darted under her and bucked her back legs. Nightmare let out a gasp of pain and staggered unsteadily to her feet, green mist starting to leak from her eyes.

"Oh, no," Luna thought with dread.

She quickly spun and bucked Nightmare in the stomach, then delivered a swift kick to her head.

Nightmare just smiled, and vanished.

 _Wouldn't it be better just to give in?_ a creepy, boyish voice chimed in her ear.

 _If you don't, Nightmare Moon will destory e-very-thing you love,_ a similar, girlish voice said in her other ear.

Luna hesitated. Maybe she could do better if she was inside Nightmare Moon. If she mustered all her power, she could hold her, even for just a little bit at the crucial moment, and -

Nightmare seized that moment of hesitation. Her form appeared, her horn embedded deep in Luna's heart.

Her eyes glowed green, and Luna felt herself being drawn in yet again.

 _No!_ she thought. _I can't … I won't …!_

 _Oh, but you will,_ Nightmare Moon said. _You have no choice._

Cradled in darkness, unfeeling once more, she helplessly felt as Nightmare stole her magic, flying against the barrier again and again until it started to crack… and

Boom!

They hit the ground in a fiery explosion. For just one second Luna had control - she knew because she felt the pain of impact - then Nightmare took over again. That had been cruel - Nightmare had used her body to take the brunt of the fall.

Her head spun, as Nightmare cast a spell and they appeared in front of a crowd of ponies.

She watched in dizzy horror as Nightmare addressed them, and several brave ponies stood up to her. _No,_ she wanted to say, but nothing came out. _No!_


	10. Epilogue

Epilogue

Luna watched as Nightmare sent obstacle after obstacle after these ponies, and they triumphed over every one. She started to fear less, as she saw the qualities these ponies contained. Maybe, just maybe …

Nightmare Moon cackled. "You little foal! Thinking you could defeat _me_? Now you will never see your princess, or your sun! The _night_ will last _forever_!"

The muffled voices of the ponies barely reached Luna's ears. She strained to hear, but Nightmare spoke again.

"You still don't have the sixth Element! The spark didn't work!"

The elements! There was hope!

She watched as The ponies began to float, and when they opened their eyes, they were pure white with magic.

"Nooooo!" Nightmare Moon cried, and was … gone.

Then she faintly heard a familiar voice calling her name. She gasped.

" It has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this. Time to put our differences behind us. We were meant to rule together, little sister," Celestia said.

"Sister?" Two of the other ponies gasped in the background.

"Will you accept my friendship?" Celestia asked, as Luna stared up at her in awe.

The pink pony opened her mouth, but Luna was fixated on her sister.

"I'm so sorry! I missed you so much, big sister!" Luna cried, running into her arms.

" I've missed you, too," Celestia said tenderly, and Luna rejoiced in her warm embrace as it started to melt the cold of the moon away.


End file.
